Thursday Grab Bag (A Day Late)
Our blog client was down last night about 1 a.m. and I lacked the motivation to write something that I wouldn't be able to post. Thus, the delay.
I graduated one year ago.
The best, and worst, part about life after college? Your work doesn't get graded, per se.
As my Facebook feed reminds me daily, exams are no fun. People don't like to study for them. People don't like to take them. They're a part of school that no one misses.
The good part about work is you don't get graded. Instead you get fired if you fail.
It's also a bad thing. In college, if you study all week, stay up nights and ace a test, you get a piece of paper with a number on it that reflects the quality of your work. After college, if you work into the night, do extra little things and provide the company with more money/quality/success, you get a 'See you tomorrow.'
The spoils of becoming self-sufficient are not as jolting as the transition to college, but at least as rewarding.
To all those still laboring at a high school or college, good luck with your tests and exams.
To all those who have been out for a year, a decade or a half-century, take a moment to stop complaining about your job and be thankful you don't have a cumulative exam that determines 30 percent of your paycheck.
*****
Power rankings: Here's my early take on the area's basketball pyramid.
Boys
1. Shiprock -- The Chieftains are still riding their tournament championship win over Kirtland Central. While it won't mean anything come district, it gives their fans bragging rights for a few months and it's the most impressive win between local teams to date.
2. Kirtland Central -- The Broncos' early season reminds me of one of those baby toys with the myriad of rubber tips that surround a baseball-sized plastic ball, the ones that you turn on and they bounce all over the place. Their near-loss to Bloomfield after the Bobcats beat them once didn't look good, Shiprock controlled them most of the game, but they played Los Alamos well and their talent level at this point is better than the other teams.
3. Bloomfield -- The Bobcats are the proverbial "tournament team," a No. 12 seed (relative to 4A) that no one wants to play. They've got seniors, toughness and several scoring options, plus a hard-nosed coach.
4. Farmington -- The Scorpions are flashing their usual pluck, grinding out an overtime win Thursday against a bigger opponent to get their first win.
5. Piedra Vista -- The Panthers' flaws have been exposed a bit during this tournament in consecutive losses. That said, they've exceeded my expectations as a whole.
6. Navajo Prep -- The Eagles beat Aztec, nearly beat Bloomfield and took out Shiprock's JV. Not a bad way to start the season. Then they lost to Sandia Prep by 55.
7. Aztec -- The Tigers haven't shown much during the early season. Something tells me they'll be moving up these rankings later in the year.
Girls
1. Kirtland Central -- The Lady Broncos haven't lost a regular season in-state game in almost a year. They've got nine of their next 10 games at home.
2. Shiprock -- The Lady Chieftains got a jumpstart from a 62-61 loss against Gallup, their lone blemish.
3. Piedra Vista -- The Lady Panthers dropped two close game to Pojoaque while dealing with an injury to one of their best players. Both PV teams started off 3-0 and now are 3-2.
4. Bloomfield -- The Lady Bobcats haven't been tested in their first three games. They beat Farmington by eight before crushing their next two opponents.
5. Aztec -- The Lady Tigers are playing teams close early. I can't say I know much about them yet.
T6. Farmington -- The Lady Scorpions lost by a combined 14 points to Durango and Bloomfield, another sign the program is more competitive but still behind the area's other teams.
T6. Navajo Prep -- The Lady Eagles offered little resistance to a PV team that's improving but doesn't have much to stand on compared with Prep's 2A state championship last year.
*****
Heisman pick: They don't give Heisman Trophy votes to goofy redheaded sports writers covering the Four Corners.
If they did, I'd vote for Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh.
Of course I'd like to see Alabama's Mark Ingram become the first player in Crimson Tide history to strike the most famous pose in all of sports.
Suh deserves it more. One defensive player ever won the award -- Charles Woodson in 1997 -- but that hardly counts because he returned punts.
Suh, a nose guard, won't win. He plays the second-least quantifiable position in football, behind offensive line.
Still, the Cornhusker was college football's most dominant player this year. He topped it by sacking Heisman Candidate Colt McCoy 4.5 times in the Big 12 championship, nearly rewarding the legions of fans criticizing Texas' inclusion in the BCS Championship.
He finished with 83 tackles, 23 for a loss and 12 sacks. That's unheard-of for a defensive tackle. Plus he blocked three kicks and deflected 10 passes. That's against constant double teams.
He'll still get plenty of accolades, so don't feel sorry for him. Besides being a candidate for the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and sure to rake in millions in guaranteed money within a few months, Suh won these: Rotary Lombardi Award. Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Outland Trophy. Chuck Bednarik Award. He'll be an All-American, First Team.'
The trophy, alas, is offensive, based on team success, and ultimately, slanted toward quarterbacks. It's Longhorns QB McCoy that will win when they announce the voting Saturday night.
*****
All-Academic football: You've seen the results on the field (Aztec to state semis; Bloomfield and Farmington lose before that). You've seen the All-District teams (Tyler Hough wins Player of the Year, Scorps and Tigers dominate). Here are the players that did the best in the classroom.
Wesley Ben, Shiprock
Leiander Benally, Shiprock
Peterson Billy, Shiprock
Leathan Davish, Shiprock
Terran Harvey, Shiprock
Elwyn John, Shiprock
Josiah John, Shiprock
Matthew King, Shiprock
Clint Mike, Shiprock
Marcus Norton, Shiprock
Roderick Garcia, Shiprock
Tyson Yazzie, Shiprock
Tom Hall, Shiprock
Cameron Iyua, Shiprock
Richard White, Shiprock
Tyson Curley, Aztec
Joseph Dotson, Aztec
Bradley Hardin, Aztec
Adam Lucero, Aztec
Michael Perry, Aztec
Andrew Pope, Aztec
Bryce Grady, Aztec
Maverick Heater, Aztec
Rivver Higgins, Aztec
Derrick Hirsch, Aztec
Lyle Howell, Aztec
Markus Johnson, Aztec
Joshua Martinez, Aztec
Chase Polledo, Aztec
James Ritter, Aztec
Mark Ritter, Aztec
Cory Saxon, Aztec
John White, Aztec
Jesse Abernathy, Aztec
Trevor Candelaria, Aztec
Killian Carey, Aztec
Darian Chavez, Aztec
Bronson Glazier, Aztec
Matthew Hegarty, Aztec
Jeramiah Hickman, Aztec
Tylin Hirsch, Aztec
Brycson King, Aztec
Dane Leplatt, Aztec
Alan Orr, Aztec
Codi Quevedo, Aztec
Alexis Reyes, Aztec
Dylan Ruiz, Aztec
Joshua Smith, Aztec
Henry Strauss, Aztec
Justin Watkins, Aztec
Zane Clampett, Aztec
Cherokee Dee, Aztec
William Douglas, Aztec
Jake Espinoza, Aztec
Zach Frohn, Aztec
Caden Martin, Aztec
Ethan Mitchell, Aztec
Craig Nyce, Aztec
Cornelius Shorthair, Aztec
Tyrell Sinclair, Aztec
Taylor Varbel, Aztec
Nick Arkills, Piedra Vista
P.J. Cross, Piedra Vista
Bryan Downing, Piedra Vista
Damion Lovato, Piedra Vista
Morgan McCasland, Piedra Vista
Ryan Thurstonson, Piedra Vista
Bryce Whitehead, Piedra Vista
Cruz Onava, Piedra Vista
Hugo Hernandez, Piedra Vista
Gibron Chavez, Piedra Vista
Hunter Cummins, Piedra Vista
Justin Fleming, Piedra Vista
Shilo McCall, Piedra Vista
Adam Schofield, Piedra Vista
Dominic Valdez, Piedra Vista
Jesse Wood, Piedra Vista
Will Brenner, Farmington
Kyler Berhost, Farmington
Avery Killifer, Farmington
Daniel Lacey, Farmington
Tyler Hough, Farmington
Alec Berve, Farmington
Shawn Gonzalez, Farmington
Tevin Fulkerson, Farmington
Dillon Jacquez, Farmington
Jonathan Archuleta, Farmington
Sean Farley, Farmington
Deven Jacquez, Farmington
Eric Peshlekai, Farmington
John Garcia, Farmington
Talon Spearman, Farmington
Jules Boyd, Farmington
Dustin Turner, Farmington
John Livingston, Farmington
Colton Curry, Farmington
Zach Stimpson, Farmington
Joe Curley, Farmington
Sean Etsitty, Kirtland Central
Randolph Curley, Kirtland Central
Jameth Woody, Kirtland Central
Clinton Long, Kirtland Central
Roland Irvin, Kirtland Central
Matthew Long, Kirtland Central
Ryder Hathaway, Kirtland Central
Tim Heslop, Kirtland Central
Kasey Costner, Kirtland Central
Jesse Pierce, Kirtland Central
Nate Orozco, Kirtland Central
Derrick Stock, Kirtland Central
Andrew Pacencio, Kirtland Central
Patrick Aspaas, Kirtland Central
Brady Hamblin, Kirtland Central
Joshua Adair, Kirtland Central
Manuel Dan, Kirtland Central
William Flack, Kirtland Central
Nataanii Hatathlie, Kirtland Central
Easton Sherwood, Kirtland Central
Todd Signs, Kirtland Central
Theron Henderson, Kirtland Central
Tristan Atanasoff, Kirtland Central
Thijs Thomas, Kirtland Central
Joseph Adair, Kirtland Central
Kyle Belin, Kirtland Central
William Quintero, Kirtland Central
Gabe Davis, Kirtland Central
Jared Stock, Kirtland Central
Sheldon Washburn, Kirtland Central
*****
Stay true and keep pounding,
Christopher
I graduated one year ago.
The best, and worst, part about life after college? Your work doesn't get graded, per se.
As my Facebook feed reminds me daily, exams are no fun. People don't like to study for them. People don't like to take them. They're a part of school that no one misses.
The good part about work is you don't get graded. Instead you get fired if you fail.
It's also a bad thing. In college, if you study all week, stay up nights and ace a test, you get a piece of paper with a number on it that reflects the quality of your work. After college, if you work into the night, do extra little things and provide the company with more money/quality/success, you get a 'See you tomorrow.'
The spoils of becoming self-sufficient are not as jolting as the transition to college, but at least as rewarding.
To all those still laboring at a high school or college, good luck with your tests and exams.
To all those who have been out for a year, a decade or a half-century, take a moment to stop complaining about your job and be thankful you don't have a cumulative exam that determines 30 percent of your paycheck.
*****
Power rankings: Here's my early take on the area's basketball pyramid.
Boys
1. Shiprock -- The Chieftains are still riding their tournament championship win over Kirtland Central. While it won't mean anything come district, it gives their fans bragging rights for a few months and it's the most impressive win between local teams to date.
2. Kirtland Central -- The Broncos' early season reminds me of one of those baby toys with the myriad of rubber tips that surround a baseball-sized plastic ball, the ones that you turn on and they bounce all over the place. Their near-loss to Bloomfield after the Bobcats beat them once didn't look good, Shiprock controlled them most of the game, but they played Los Alamos well and their talent level at this point is better than the other teams.
3. Bloomfield -- The Bobcats are the proverbial "tournament team," a No. 12 seed (relative to 4A) that no one wants to play. They've got seniors, toughness and several scoring options, plus a hard-nosed coach.
4. Farmington -- The Scorpions are flashing their usual pluck, grinding out an overtime win Thursday against a bigger opponent to get their first win.
5. Piedra Vista -- The Panthers' flaws have been exposed a bit during this tournament in consecutive losses. That said, they've exceeded my expectations as a whole.
6. Navajo Prep -- The Eagles beat Aztec, nearly beat Bloomfield and took out Shiprock's JV. Not a bad way to start the season. Then they lost to Sandia Prep by 55.
7. Aztec -- The Tigers haven't shown much during the early season. Something tells me they'll be moving up these rankings later in the year.
Girls
1. Kirtland Central -- The Lady Broncos haven't lost a regular season in-state game in almost a year. They've got nine of their next 10 games at home.
2. Shiprock -- The Lady Chieftains got a jumpstart from a 62-61 loss against Gallup, their lone blemish.
3. Piedra Vista -- The Lady Panthers dropped two close game to Pojoaque while dealing with an injury to one of their best players. Both PV teams started off 3-0 and now are 3-2.
4. Bloomfield -- The Lady Bobcats haven't been tested in their first three games. They beat Farmington by eight before crushing their next two opponents.
5. Aztec -- The Lady Tigers are playing teams close early. I can't say I know much about them yet.
T6. Farmington -- The Lady Scorpions lost by a combined 14 points to Durango and Bloomfield, another sign the program is more competitive but still behind the area's other teams.
T6. Navajo Prep -- The Lady Eagles offered little resistance to a PV team that's improving but doesn't have much to stand on compared with Prep's 2A state championship last year.
*****
Heisman pick: They don't give Heisman Trophy votes to goofy redheaded sports writers covering the Four Corners.
If they did, I'd vote for Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh.
Of course I'd like to see Alabama's Mark Ingram become the first player in Crimson Tide history to strike the most famous pose in all of sports.
Suh deserves it more. One defensive player ever won the award -- Charles Woodson in 1997 -- but that hardly counts because he returned punts.
Suh, a nose guard, won't win. He plays the second-least quantifiable position in football, behind offensive line.
Still, the Cornhusker was college football's most dominant player this year. He topped it by sacking Heisman Candidate Colt McCoy 4.5 times in the Big 12 championship, nearly rewarding the legions of fans criticizing Texas' inclusion in the BCS Championship.
He finished with 83 tackles, 23 for a loss and 12 sacks. That's unheard-of for a defensive tackle. Plus he blocked three kicks and deflected 10 passes. That's against constant double teams.
He'll still get plenty of accolades, so don't feel sorry for him. Besides being a candidate for the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and sure to rake in millions in guaranteed money within a few months, Suh won these: Rotary Lombardi Award. Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Outland Trophy. Chuck Bednarik Award. He'll be an All-American, First Team.'
The trophy, alas, is offensive, based on team success, and ultimately, slanted toward quarterbacks. It's Longhorns QB McCoy that will win when they announce the voting Saturday night.
*****
All-Academic football: You've seen the results on the field (Aztec to state semis; Bloomfield and Farmington lose before that). You've seen the All-District teams (Tyler Hough wins Player of the Year, Scorps and Tigers dominate). Here are the players that did the best in the classroom.
Wesley Ben, Shiprock
Leiander Benally, Shiprock
Peterson Billy, Shiprock
Leathan Davish, Shiprock
Terran Harvey, Shiprock
Elwyn John, Shiprock
Josiah John, Shiprock
Matthew King, Shiprock
Clint Mike, Shiprock
Marcus Norton, Shiprock
Roderick Garcia, Shiprock
Tyson Yazzie, Shiprock
Tom Hall, Shiprock
Cameron Iyua, Shiprock
Richard White, Shiprock
Tyson Curley, Aztec
Joseph Dotson, Aztec
Bradley Hardin, Aztec
Adam Lucero, Aztec
Michael Perry, Aztec
Andrew Pope, Aztec
Bryce Grady, Aztec
Maverick Heater, Aztec
Rivver Higgins, Aztec
Derrick Hirsch, Aztec
Lyle Howell, Aztec
Markus Johnson, Aztec
Joshua Martinez, Aztec
Chase Polledo, Aztec
James Ritter, Aztec
Mark Ritter, Aztec
Cory Saxon, Aztec
John White, Aztec
Jesse Abernathy, Aztec
Trevor Candelaria, Aztec
Killian Carey, Aztec
Darian Chavez, Aztec
Bronson Glazier, Aztec
Matthew Hegarty, Aztec
Jeramiah Hickman, Aztec
Tylin Hirsch, Aztec
Brycson King, Aztec
Dane Leplatt, Aztec
Alan Orr, Aztec
Codi Quevedo, Aztec
Alexis Reyes, Aztec
Dylan Ruiz, Aztec
Joshua Smith, Aztec
Henry Strauss, Aztec
Justin Watkins, Aztec
Zane Clampett, Aztec
Cherokee Dee, Aztec
William Douglas, Aztec
Jake Espinoza, Aztec
Zach Frohn, Aztec
Caden Martin, Aztec
Ethan Mitchell, Aztec
Craig Nyce, Aztec
Cornelius Shorthair, Aztec
Tyrell Sinclair, Aztec
Taylor Varbel, Aztec
Nick Arkills, Piedra Vista
P.J. Cross, Piedra Vista
Bryan Downing, Piedra Vista
Damion Lovato, Piedra Vista
Morgan McCasland, Piedra Vista
Ryan Thurstonson, Piedra Vista
Bryce Whitehead, Piedra Vista
Cruz Onava, Piedra Vista
Hugo Hernandez, Piedra Vista
Gibron Chavez, Piedra Vista
Hunter Cummins, Piedra Vista
Justin Fleming, Piedra Vista
Shilo McCall, Piedra Vista
Adam Schofield, Piedra Vista
Dominic Valdez, Piedra Vista
Jesse Wood, Piedra Vista
Will Brenner, Farmington
Kyler Berhost, Farmington
Avery Killifer, Farmington
Daniel Lacey, Farmington
Tyler Hough, Farmington
Alec Berve, Farmington
Shawn Gonzalez, Farmington
Tevin Fulkerson, Farmington
Dillon Jacquez, Farmington
Jonathan Archuleta, Farmington
Sean Farley, Farmington
Deven Jacquez, Farmington
Eric Peshlekai, Farmington
John Garcia, Farmington
Talon Spearman, Farmington
Jules Boyd, Farmington
Dustin Turner, Farmington
John Livingston, Farmington
Colton Curry, Farmington
Zach Stimpson, Farmington
Joe Curley, Farmington
Sean Etsitty, Kirtland Central
Randolph Curley, Kirtland Central
Jameth Woody, Kirtland Central
Clinton Long, Kirtland Central
Roland Irvin, Kirtland Central
Matthew Long, Kirtland Central
Ryder Hathaway, Kirtland Central
Tim Heslop, Kirtland Central
Kasey Costner, Kirtland Central
Jesse Pierce, Kirtland Central
Nate Orozco, Kirtland Central
Derrick Stock, Kirtland Central
Andrew Pacencio, Kirtland Central
Patrick Aspaas, Kirtland Central
Brady Hamblin, Kirtland Central
Joshua Adair, Kirtland Central
Manuel Dan, Kirtland Central
William Flack, Kirtland Central
Nataanii Hatathlie, Kirtland Central
Easton Sherwood, Kirtland Central
Todd Signs, Kirtland Central
Theron Henderson, Kirtland Central
Tristan Atanasoff, Kirtland Central
Thijs Thomas, Kirtland Central
Joseph Adair, Kirtland Central
Kyle Belin, Kirtland Central
William Quintero, Kirtland Central
Gabe Davis, Kirtland Central
Jared Stock, Kirtland Central
Sheldon Washburn, Kirtland Central
*****
Stay true and keep pounding,
Christopher
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